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When you’re in need of a luxurious pamper pick-me-up then I’m your scrub. My new range ofLuxe Body Scrubsare here and I’m ready to make you feel soft, nourished and totally luxe.

I know as much as anyone how important it is for you to get some ‘me’ time to relax, pamper and indulge yourself and I’m the one to make it happen. My Luxe Body Scrubs pair perfectly with a warm bath, glass of wine and the latest romance novel so you can relax in style while I attend to nourishing your skin.

If you’re into glitter, glam and all things mermaids or unicorns then myLuxe ‘Moondust’ Body Scrubis the skincare essential for you. One of the first products around the world to include gemstone powder as a skincare ingredient, my gem powder from moonstone will not only exfoliate your skin but is also said to calm emotion and promote harmony and unity.

Another feature of my Moondust Body Scrub is the inclusion of mica sparkle which will leave a subtle sheen over your skin like you’ve dusted your body with highlighter powder. Perfect prior to a night out as you’ll shimmer and sparkle in the moonlight or under the strobe lights – depending on your vibe.

Aside from some of the obvious skincare ingredients that are derived from animals such as goat’s milk and milk powder, there are some ingredients that may be in your makeup or skincare that are less common and also derived from animals. You may be consciously choosing cruelty free skincare, which is great, however cruelty free does not mean animal free and many animals can still be harmed for their inclusion in beauty products. Ensure that you only purchase cruelty free and vegan skincare so that no animals have been involved in the production of these products.

Beeswax & Honey

Beeswax is a thick, waxy solution that is extracted from beehives from the honeycomb and honey that they produce. Bees are often selectively bred and their hives can be manipulated to increase production of these ingredients, such as killing and replacing the queen bee or replacing honeycomb with cheap sugar equivalents. These processes disrupt the beehive community and many bees can die as a result. Beeswax is often used in lip balms, lipsticks, face creams and lotions. There are many plant based waxes that can be used as an alternative, such as candalilla wax in my nourishinglip balms and lip scrubs.

Lanolin

You know the greasy build up on your hair when it hasn’t been washed for a week? Imagine that grease build up on sheep’s wool over months and months in humid environments. When sheep's wool is shorn, the wool is washed and the grease rises to the top and that is what is known as lanolin. Often sheep are deliberately left to develop more wool than they can carry to encourage more grease and lanolin production. Lanolin is often used in skin creams, balms and lip balms. An alternative to lanolin in skincare products is vegetable oils or plant based butters, such as those found in my hydratingbody scrubs.

Carmine

Carmine is the term used for the red colouring powder that is made from crushing cochineal beetles. These beetles commonly eat a red berry whilst alive and are then crushed into a powder to colour pink or red cosmetics, such as lipsticks and blushes. Opt for skincare products that are coloured with plant based natural ingredients, such as all of the products in my natural skincare range which are coloured with plant based, natural ingredients.

Retinol

Retinol is a common ingredient in anti-aging serums or lotions and for its rich vitamin A content. This product however is extracted from animal by-products such as eggs, dairy, animal livers or kidneys.

Tallow

Tallow is another name for animal fat and is made by boiling the carcasses of animals until a fat layer is formed and extracted. Tallow is often used in moisturisers, lipsticks, soaps and other cosmetics as a moisturising ingredient. It can also be labelled as stearic acid.

Gelatin

Gelatin is a similar product to tallow as it is made from boiling carcasses, bones, tendons and ligaments of cows and pigs or any part of the animal that contains collagen (also an animal derived skincare ingredient). This ingredient is used as a binding and thickening ingredient and can be commonly found in shampoos, face masks, hair masks and more. It is also commonly found in food ingredients such as jelly lollies, marshmallows and a number of desserts. An alternative to this are plant based thickeners such as agar-agar or xanthan gum.

This is not a comprehensive list and there are many moreanimal by-productsthat can be found in skincare ingredients. The best way to reduce harm to animals is to choose cruelty free, vegan skincare products like all of those in theBuddy Scrub range.

I’m all about making skin feel soft and smooth, and it’s no different when it comes to my range of natural, vegan friendly and cruelty free body scrubs. There are five body scrubs available each with their own nourishing properties; Raw Cacao & Orange Body Scrub, Green Tea & Lime Body Scrub, Activated Charcoal & Peppermint Body Scrub, Coffee & Mandarin Body Scrub and Bamboo & Lemon Body Scrub. So why should you be getting me in your shower and adding one of my body scrubs to your skincare regime? Let me tell you…

Buff away and moisturise dry skin

The primary purpose of using my body scrubs is to provide a gentle exfoliation for your skin. My sugar and sea salt assist in buffing away dead and dry skin, leaving your skin feeling softer and more hydrated. The nourishing plant based oils in my body scrubs, such as coconut oil and grapeseed oil, leave the skin with a moisturising layer after you rinse that will help to keep your skin hydrated and feeling oh so soft. I recommend myBamboo Body Scrub, full of exfoliating bamboo powder.

Help to remove fake tan

Why use an exfoliating mitt made of synthetic fibres to remove your fake tan when you can use a nourishing, plant based body scrub? The gentle exfoliating properties of my body scrubs can help to remove the top layer of dead skin and fake tan, prepping your skin for a fresh layer of faux summer in a bottle. My moisturising oils will also help to hydrate your skin and can help prolong your fake tan. I recommend myCoffee Body Scrubfor a more intense exfoliation.

Remove bacteria from sweat and other toxins

What better way to make sure all the sweat and dirt from gym mats and equipment is washed off your skin than with one of my body scrubs? Sometimes a body wash just doesn’t do the trick and using a product with exfoliating ingredients will help to ensure that bacteria from sweat and other toxins are picked up and scrubbed away. I recommend myActivated Charcoal Body Scrub, which contains activated charcoal powder to help absorb toxins and peppermint oil to leave a fresh, minty feeling on your skin.

Provide nourishment for your skin

Unlike some lower cost body scrubs, my body scrubs contain ingredients that are natural and specifically sourced for their skin nourishing properties. Each of my body scrubs contains its own key ingredient which are full of vitamins, minerals and more. My combination of nourishing plant based oils also help to layer your skin with hydrating benefits. I recommend myRaw Cacao Body Scrub, which contains antioxidant rich raw cacao powder.

Help to leave your skin feeling smooth

The exfoliating, nourishing and moisturising benefits of my body scrubs can assist in reducing the appearance of skin conditions, clogged pores and stretch marks. When scrubbing up with me 2-3 times a week, you should notice your skin feeling softer and smoother with each use. I recommend myGreen Tea Body Scrub, which features Japanese antioxidant rich matcha powder, as well as jojoba oil that mimics the natural serum produced by skin helping to balance oil sebum levels.

You may have been hearing more and more about the vegan movement over the past 12 months due to an increasing interest in this way of life. But what does it actually mean to be vegan?

The word vegan refers to people who consume no animal meat or by-products (such as eggs or dairy) and avoid any animal derived clothing, accessories, skincare and more. The word vegan was initially used in 1944 by Donald Watson who was a non-dairy vegetarian and settled on the first three letters and last two letters of vegetarian – ‘vegan’, to separate this way of life from vegetarianism.

This list is not extensive, however it gives you an overview of the ways in which animals are used and exploited for the human population and how adopting a vegan lifestyle can aid in reducing the harm, torture and pain that comes to these animals.

So why do people become vegan? People can decide to become vegan for several reasons, but there are three common themes for why people make this lifestyle switch.

One reason is to prevent animal cruelty and the exploitation of animals for food consumption and other general living needs. Every year, 56 billion farm animals are culled for their meat and this doesn’t include seafood and the many millions more that are culled or abused for their eggs, milk, skin, fur, feathers and more. By switching to a vegan lifestyle, each person can save up to 198 animals from being bred for food or accessories each year, which equates to around 1.4 billion animals per year in America alone that aren't bred for human benefit.

Another reason for becoming vegan is the environmental impact. The impact that large scale animal agriculture and fishing is having on our climate, oceans and land is now being well documented. The land required to grow grains to feed the livestock industry is responsible for the destruction of many of our rain forests. Imagine what could be achieved with livestock land if the demand for meat was simply not there? The methane and carbon dioxide emissions from the livestock industry is also higher than all of the car and transport emissions put together. These emissions are impacting our atmosphere and leading to climate change issues. Instead of switching to water saving shower heads or riding to work, you could eat vegan for two nights a week and have a larger impact. By adopting a vegan lifestyle, a more sustainable approach to living and land use can be achieved.

A third reason for becoming vegan is for health reasons. There is well documented evidence of the benefits of adopting a plant based diet for overall well being. A plant based diet reduces the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular issues, and is linked to longevity in countries who eat a mostly plant based diet. A plant based diet involves eating vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes and nuts without processed food or excessive oil.

Vegans may relate to one or more of the above reasons, or may have additional reasons for their lifestyle choice. However, the commonalities of vegans are the choices they make to avoid animal derived food & products and the exploitation of animals.